Stress, Anxiety, Depression, hopelessness. There is no question the mental toll the coronavirus pandemic has taken on Americans is substantial. On top of the fear of the virus, you may also be forced to work from home in less than ideal work situations. This combined with the psychological and financial strain of the virus has many suffering from mental burnout. Incorporating these five tips can naturally boost your mood and help you cope with mental burnout.

Mental strain from this pandemic is real. Even the most mentally tough individuals find themselves treading uncharted waters as they suddenly cannot do many things that once brought them enjoyment and happiness. It is important to know we will get through this. If you or anyone you love is struggling with mental burnout please forward them this blog. Encourage them to contact us or another health professional that can get them the help they need!

The good news is there are some mental health best practices that you can easily incorporate into your daily routine to help combat mental burnout and boost your mood.

1. Work in a different room or area then you relax.

• One advantage to working away from your home is that it makes it easy to mentally shift from “work” mode and “home” mode. When working from home, it can often feel like you have never left work and don’t mentally “clock-out”. Continuously thinking about work and not having a chance to mentally decompress will lead to mental burnout.

• Working in a different room than you relax is helpful in restoring this mental clock-out. If this isn’t possible, at the very least work in a different part of the room that you relax in.

• Never work in your bedroom. This is very important, the bedroom is reserved for sleep only. Your brain needs sleep, knowing that when you enter the bedroom you are definitely done with work will help put your mind at ease allowing you to get a better nights rest.

2. Exercise & Movement

• Exercise is proven to boost mood as well as numerous other health benefits. Harvard health had this to say about excise and mood: High-intensity exercise releases the body's feel-good chemicals called endorphins. Long term exercise is the kind of activity that spurs the release of proteins called neurotrophic or growth factors, which cause nerve cells to grow and make new connections in the hippocampus (a part of the brain that has a major role in emotion, mood and memory). 

• Go for a walk, ride a bike, try out jogging, find a new hiking spot, there are numerous types of aerobic activity for you to try, many of which don’t require anything to get started. Try some strength training, bodyweight exercises are an excellent place to start and can be done almost anywhere. If you need help with exercises and how to properly do them schedule a Telehealth appointment with Dr. Baldwin and get started today!

3. Posture & Workspace ergonomics

• Poor posture practices have been shown to contribute to depression. One the other hand holding good posture has been shown to boost mood. In the coming weeks we are going to be diving in depth of posture, what poor posture can cause and how to correct it.

• Emotions and thoughts affect your posture and energy levels. Hold that head high, pull your shoulders back and chest out!

4. Meditation

• Taking some time to yourself to meditate and decompress your mind can be very beneficial in stressful times like these. There are also numerous apps available to help with this. I use headspace to help clear my mind and practice meditation.

5. Eat healthy

• Make sure you’re getting your omega-3 fatty acids, they’re essential for brain and neuron health! Fish, chia seed and flax seeds are great resources of omega 3’s.

• Leafy green vegetables- high in essential vitamins and minerals

• Probiotics sources for gut health. Believe it or not, the health of our gut can have an effect on our mood. Yogurt, kombucha, kimchi or sour kraut are good sources of probiotics.

The important thing to know is there are people willing to help. We are in this together If you found this blog useful please share it with a loved one, you never know who may benefit from it.

As always if you have any questions or comments we would love to hear from you! Reach out to our office today!

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